Glass fibers have been commonly incorporated in thermoplastic molded objects and other cured plastics for added strength and durability. The glass fiber is introduced in a mold where resinous plastic is then injected such that the glass fibers become imbedded into the final formed object. It has been found advantageous to form a preform of the final object out of glass fibers and place the preform into the mold. The glass fibers are often chopped and blown onto a preform screen. Immediately following the fiber placement, a binder agent is sprayed on and allowed to cure which sets the fibers in place.
This glass fiber process has two disadvantages. Firstly, the glass fibers may extend through the holes in the screen. Furthermore, some of the sprayed binder land directly onto the screen. When the binder and on the screen contact the glass fibers through the holes, removal of the preform becomes difficult. Secondly, strength of the preform is limited such that damage may occur to the preform when the preform is removed from the screen, rendering it useless.
What is needed is a process for manufacturing a preform which is easier to remove from the screen and which has increased strength and integrity for reducing damage to the preform during removal from the screen and subsequent handling thereof.